Our Scripture lesson for this three part article is found in Esther 4:10:
Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”
When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
May God speak loudly to our hearts through this passage in such a time as today, 2016!
Why were you born? College students wrestle with this. Philosophers do. Maybe you too have. I have another even more important question: Why were you BORN AGAIN?? Have you ever thought about that?
This text, which is the greatest text in all of Esther, clearly falls out into 3 major points:
If you remain silent at this time … we may fail God and our duty, by doing or saying nothing! Or as St. Ambrose put it: Not only for every idle word must man give an account … but also for every idle silence!
And now, part two!
If Esther held her peace, the result would have been what? That all of the Jews would have been killed? That the held captive Jewish nation was going under? No! Read it again!
Then shall relief and deliverance arise for the Jews from another place! (Esther 4:11)
Did you ever hear it said and sang that we are the only hands and feet that God has? Question: If that is true, who made our hands and feet? Are we the only mouthpiece that God has? Do you think God will indefinitely hold up performing His will on Earth because of stubbornly silent, do nothing people?
If we altogether hold our peace, if we fail God by doing or saying nothing, there will arise another enlargement and deliverance from another source! God IS SOVEREIGN in the affairs of this world! God’s purposes will be done and if not by us, then by others! God’s purposes know no haste, nor delay!
Now there are some who say and live like “Well that’s good, I don’t have to worry about anything, God’s in control, I can just sit back and wait, just check me out, I’m not going to be involved.” Well, before you vote yourself out of the game, let me continue.
But thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed!
Let me make one thing clear. Every sin, whether of commission or OMISSION, will inevitably result in our suffering loss! Now I can see the machinery grinding between some readers ears here…even some smoke coming out! And you say well, just wait a minute. Jesus died for my sins, I can live my life how I want, and not do what I don’t want to do, isn’t that right? No! You are bought with a price! You are His possession now, here to fulfill His purposes and duties. Therefore, as Paul say, shall we sin that grace may abound? God forbid! We’ve died to sin that we might live unto Christ!
It is not God’s obligation to bend His plans to suit our stubborn silence and inaction. Rather it is OUR obligation and sacred duty to obey His directions and merge with His plans and purposes. Why were you BORN AGAIN?
“But thou and thy father’s household will be destroyed!” That was the solemn warning given to Esther! Perhaps it won’t be that drastic, on the other hand, that is also fully possible! In any event, that loss will come and has come to all who refuse to obey is a given fact. Already, every one of our lives is not up to the full 100% potential, for we all have sinned and fallen short … of the glory of God.
Every opportunity in this life must be perceived as a call from God! And WHY do we continue to silently ignore God’s “opportunity callings”?
So…God is already showing us that He can and will use a Jewish high school basketball team to get the Sabbath Truth in front of the USA if need be! (see: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/01/playoff-game-rescheduled-for-jewish-basketball-team-that-refused-to-play-on-sabbath/)
He has shown us that He will use movies like Forks Over Knives to present His health message if we won’t!
He doesn’t have to limit Himself to sleepy SDA churches in order to teach Tithing and Christian Stewardship – He can use far more responsive Christians like Dave Ramsey to teach His people if we won’t cooperate! (Notice: the Wedding preparation of Jesus moves forward while the Bridegroom delayed…and the bride’s maids ALL slept!)
God has been using James Dobson and Focus on the Family for about 30 years now to get His marriage and family values message out, so He’s not limiting Himself to us, even though we’ve had the exact same Truth and better resources like Child Guidance, Adventist Home, Country Living, etc for how long now?
Stay tuned for Part 3 . . . .